Nikki Giovanni was born in Knoxville, Tennessee in June of 1943. She grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, she and her sister returned to Knoxville each summer to visit their grandparents. Nikki graduated with honors in history from her grandfather's alma mater, Fisk University. Since 1987, she has been on the faculty at Virginia Tech, where she is a University Distinguished Professor.
Cotton Candy on a Rainy Day
Don't look now
I'm fading away
Into the gray of my mornings
Or the blues of every night
Is it that my nails
keep breaking
Or maybe the corn
on my secind little piggy
Things keep popping out
on my faceorof my life
It seems no matter how
I try I become more difficult
to hold
I am not an easy woman
to want
They have asked
the psychiatrists . . . psychologists . . . politicians and social workers
What this decade will be
known for
There is no doubt . . . it is
loneliness
I'm Not Lonely
I'm not lonely
sleeping all alone
you think i'm scared
but i'm a big girl
i don't cry or anything
I have a great
big bed to roll around
in and lots of space
and i don't dream
bad dreams like i used
to have that you
were leaving me
anymore
Now that you're gone
i don't dream
and no matter
what you think
i'm not lonely
sleeping
all alone
Nikki Giovanni was born in Knoxville, Tennessee in June of 1943. She grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, she and her sister returned to Knoxville each summer to visit their grandparents. Nikki graduated with honors in history from her grandfather's alma mater, Fisk University. Since 1987, she has been on the faculty at Virginia Tech, where she is a University Distinguished Professor.
Cotton Candy on a Rainy Day
Don't look nowI'm fading away
Into the gray of my mornings
Or the blues of every night
Is it that my nails
keep breaking
Or maybe the corn
on my secind little piggy
Things keep popping out
on my faceorof my life
It seems no matter how
I try I become more difficult
to hold
I am not an easy woman
to want
They have asked
the psychiatrists . . . psychologists . . . politicians and social workers
What this decade will be
known for
There is no doubt . . . it is
loneliness
I'm Not Lonely
I'm not lonely
sleeping all alone
you think i'm scared
but i'm a big girl
i don't cry or anything
I have a great
big bed to roll around
in and lots of space
and i don't dream
bad dreams like i used
to have that you
were leaving me
anymore
Now that you're gone
i don't dream
and no matter
what you think
i'm not lonely
sleeping
all alone